Now this year’s angling season is coming to a close, New Brunswick Wildlife Federation President Charles LeBlanc urges all anglers to complete their creel census
reports for 2016.
Expanded use of crossbow hunting permitted
FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government will allow hunters to harvest deer with crossbows during the 2016 archery season, which runs Oct. 3-22.
“Hunting is a big part of the social and economic fabric of rural New Brunswick,” said Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet. “The addition of crossbows to the deer archery season will allow more people to enjoy the tradition of hunting.”
Crossbows are currently permitted during all hunting seasons except for the deer archery season and for the hunting of migratory birds. This year marks the first time crossbows may be used in deer archery season.
“I urge all hunters to practice safety and be courteous in the woods this fall,” said Doucet. “It is important to teach future generations of New Brunswickers how to enjoy hunting safely, and how to treat the forest and fellow hunters with respect.”
Crossbow hunters are subject to many of the same laws that apply to hunters using firearms or bows, including:
- it is illegal to discharge a crossbow within 100 metres of a dwelling, school or place of business;
- crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 68 kilograms and be fitted with broadheads no less than 20 millimetres in width when hunting deer;
- it is illegal to carry a cocked and loaded crossbow upon any vehicle, including all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles;
- crossbows used for hunting purposes must be equipped with a safety; and
- crossbow hunters must wear hunter’s orange.
The deer archery season starts Oct. 3 and runs for three weeks, closing Oct. 22.
Minister Dominic LeBlanc Increases Opportunity and Access to Stripe Bass Fishery
OTTAWA, Ontario –The Government of Canada is increasing recreational fishing opportunities and Indigenous access to the recreational Striped bass fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence waters bordering New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadin Coast Guard, announced that the retention period for the Southern Gulf recreational Striped bass fishery will be extended. The final retention period will now run from September 2 to October 31, during which time each person is allowed to keep one fish per day.